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sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown

1 November 2018

sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds wagering makers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.

Ms Crouch stated pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it might cost the lives of issue bettors.

She tweeted: "Politicians come and go but principles stick with us permanently."

Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was dissatisfied Ms Crouch had actually resigned but there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this essential measure".

High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers

' I lost ₤ 250,000 on sports betting machines'

sports betting device stakes to be cut to ₤ 2

The government has actually rejected Labour claims that MPs had been led to think the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been meant to be introduced in April 2020.

But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, execution of these modifications are now being delayed till October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with signed up interests.

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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch

"From the time of the statement to minimize stakes and its application, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, 2 individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that factor as much as any other, I think this delay is unjustifiable."

She included: "It is a reality of government that ministers must comply with cumulative obligation and can not disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made versus your desires associating with your own portfolio."

'God bless'

Among those applauding her on social media, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and courageous" including: "May God bless her commitment to doing right."

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "deserves huge credit not just for her project but for sticking up for her principles".

Fixed-odds wagering terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in income a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.

Currently, people can wager up to ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling advocates say the makers let gamers lose cash too rapidly, leading to dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.

But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes might lead to countless outlets closing.
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In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had listened to those who wanted the changes to come into result earlier than April 2020 and "had concurred that the modifications should remain in place within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor said the change to fixed-odds stakes would come into force next October at the very same time as changes to task charged on gambling companies based abroad but running in the UK.

The government says co-ordinating the date of the 2 changes would indicate the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax revenue.

Who is Tracey Crouch?

The 43-year-old MP has actually represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010

She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015

She is known for her opposition to fox searching and her love of football - she is a competent FA coach

Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University

She had actually worked for different Tory MPs, consisting of Michael Howard and David Davis before representing election

She had her first kid in 2016 and is thought to have actually been the very first Tory minister to take maternity leave

But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson accused the government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".

He praised Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled choice" and said Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "need to be thoroughly embarrassed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".

MPs from all sides of your house joined in his criticism. Former Iain Duncan Smith said it should be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
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He told the BBC: "There are a lot of people whose lives have been harmed by this addiction ... We require to do this very quickly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the gambling industry will make about ₤ 1bn as an outcome of this delay. That's wrong."

Labour has actually told the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and generate the modifications next April.